HP Releases Trio of Cloud Services for Public Beta

HP Cloud Services, created with OpenStack technology, is an open-source development architecture that provides storage in the cloud for developers and organizations developing Web applications. It includes a management console, which provides analytics into demand patterns, operational performance, and resource use. OpenStack, founded by NASA and Rackspace Hosting, is a free cloud computing platform created by developers and cloud-computing technologists.

HP Cloud Object Storage provides unlimited scalable data storage in the cloud for any file types, including video and audio. It allows organizations to add or remove any amount of storage capacity for backup and archiving on demand using GET, PUT, and other object requests. Data is accessible anywhere there is Internet access via REST-based APIs. Cloud Object Storage can also serve static content for Web applications.

HP Cloud Content Delivery Network (CDN) is powered by Akamai, and data is cached and distributed using a global network of edge servers. It provides a variety of ways to access data, such as through CLI bindings, jclouds, Ruby Fog, and RESTful APIs. CDN works together with HP Cloud Object Storage to provide data access, compresses files for faster delivery, and uses secure sockets layer for encryption.

For all three services, HP provides data protection using secure data centers, as well as intrusion prevention, role-based access, automated and manual code audits, nose hardening, and application threat analysis. In addition, objects are duplicated and available in multiple zones.

HP has also started a partner network designed to provide a set of tools, best practices, and support to help maximize productivity in the cloud. Approximately 40 companies, including platform-as-a-service, database, management, and storage providers, have joined the new network. In the future, HP will offer a Cloud Services Marketplace, which will allow customers through a single log-in to access HP Cloud Services and products from partners.

Cloud Services in public beta use a pay-as-you-go model, based on data transfer, storage, and time-used factors.

Tim Sohn is a 10-year veteran of the news business, having served in capacities from reporter to editor-in-chief of a variety of publications including Web sites, daily and weekly newspapers, consumer and trade magazines, and wire services. He can be reached at timothyjsohn@gmail.com and followed on Twitter @editortim.